In or Out A Brexit Love Live story
by TsundereHeavyCruiser
Summary: -Oneshot- So the United Kingdom isn't very united, what better way to unite it than with some UmiMaki Fluff! Features Maki as a remain campaigner fighting to keep the UK in the EU, canvassing on her usual street one day she spots a leave campaigner. On HER street! Watch as these two star-crossed lovers cross the political divide and find love in the face of adversity.


**A/N: So at a time when the United Kingdom could use some uniting I figured what better way to capture the lasting legacy of these two poisonous campaigns that have widened divisions to the point where it seems almost irreparable, steer the UK through the years of political and economic uncertainty ahead and mend the divisions created in British Society than with a little UmiMaki.**

 **Because regardless of your feelings on Brexit we can all (mostly) agree on one thing: Everyone loves UmiMaki.**

* * *

In or Out

 _On Monday I will commence the process set out under our Referendum Act._

 _And I will go to Parliament and propose that the British people decide our future in Europe through an in-out referendum on Thursday, the 23rd of June._

 ** _Prime Minister David Cameron announcing the UK's EU referendum on Saturday 20_ _th_ _February 2016._**

March 2016

Maki blinked slowly looking up at the sharp spring sunlight filtering down from a perfect blue sky, illuminating London in its rays.

 _Great weather, hopefully people will turn out in enough numbers to get more than a few votes._

The redhead adjusted the small white badge with a red and blue 'IN' in the centre, on her blue t-shirt, the large White letters 'Britain Stronger IN Europe' were visible for all to see. She checked her numbers of leaflets once more, counting through the leaflets of information about the EU and the consequences of what the media was rapidly terming a 'Brexit'.

 _Half of it is a bit scaremongery._ The concern crossed her mind, these doubts were probably going to stay throughout the campaign; she sighed. _I wish they'd put a bit more in about our loyalty to Europe as a concept. I mean it's why I am out here canvassing people in between medical school so it must have some pull._

Maki sighed once more, the campaign _was_ being led by the Tories after all it was to be expected, she just had to do her bit to convince people that her vision of the EU was worth fighting for herself.

She put on a smile and looked up at the sun once more, looking at the packed street she approached a man in a suit holding out her leaflet for him, "Vote remain, for a stronger UK and a better EU." Her grin trying to disarm her target, make him more pliable to her message.

The man took the leaflet and waved her off. Maki shrugged off the cold response, it was something she'd become used to in the past few weeks that she'd spent canvassing on this street. She approached yet another person, losing one more leaflet to a potential voter. She repeated the process like clock-work for a few more hours, asking occasional questions such as, "How are you voting?" or "How do you feel about the EU?" always with a smile on her face.

She had grown fond of this piece of tarmac, a few people commuting to work had even started to wave to her and exchange a few friendly words. It was in many ways her street.

"Take back our sovereignty. Vote leave on the 23rd" the soft female voice behind her drew Maki's attention.

 _What the hell is a Brexiter doing here?! This is my spot, London's remain anyway! Perhaps I should help her move to a 'friendlier' place._

Maki swivelled on the balls of her feet stalking through the crowd, expecting to see some old granny wearing a white leave t-shirt fighting a losing battle against an unresponsive crowd. Maki smirked, she nearly felt sorry for her, nearly.

A small crowd was gathered at one end of her street clustered around something, muttering amongst themselves; most of them were men as well. The Leave campaigner's vice emanated from the centre.

 _What's going on here?_

"Excuse me…coming through…" Maki muttered apologies as she forced her way to the centre of the crowd. Her mouth fell open when she saw what was everyone was fussing about.

There in the middle of the gaggle of men was a woman, she couldn't be much more than a year older than Maki was. Her long slender legs clad in deep blue jeans and her slender figure was emphasised by her deep blue hair which tumbled down her back shimmering in the early morning sunlight, glittering like water on the ocean at the height of summer. The swell of her breasts was mostly hidden by her clothes but it was clear to Maki that what was there was appealing. The Woman's smooth silk like skin framed a pair of lips that looked like delicate summer berries. Her amber eyes radiated warmth and comfort, looking into them was like looking into deep pots of honey.

In short Maki was absolutely stunned by the woman, stricken by her beauty: and by the fact that she was wearing a white t-shirt with a red ballot box on it and 'Vote Leave' in large red letters.

 _What? She's the leave campaigner?!_

As she opened her mouth the redheaded remainer felt her previous courage evaporate. "Er um excuse me…" the crowd fell silent as Maki spoke up.

"Yes what can I help you with?" the woman's smile was bright, like the sun that shone on both of them.

Maki cleared her throat, "could you please move along, I mean no disrespect, but this is my area…I think it would slightly confuse the undecideds if we campaigned so close to each other."

A ripple of discontent ran through the crowd, some turned away in anger. But the woman simply blinked, slightly confused at the redhead's request. "I'm sorry, why can't I campaign here? I'm not really bothering anyone am I?" the woman smiled again

"That's not the point…it's just…just." Maki furrowed her brow in frustration. "Argh!" she threw her free hand up in the air. "Half of these guys are only here because you're drop dead gorgeous anyway…Just stay out of my way!"

"You think I'm gorgeous?" The woman blushed hiding her face beneath her leaflets, in a gesture that Maki found irresistibly cute. A few wolf whistles and smooching sounds, came from the surrounding crowd.

The redhead transformed into the colour of her hair realising what she'd said. "T-That wasn't the point! Just stop distracting me." Maki turned on her heel facing the throng of men. "And _you_ all need to get your heads out of the gutter." She yelled at the assembled mess of bankers and city workers, shooing them away furiously before muscling her way out of the thinning crowd that remained.

 _What's with her anyway, seducing men to further her campaign!_ The images of her face flew threw Maki's mind, a few of them causing the redhead's blush to maintain itself giving her a look like she'd just been out running.

"Wait!" Maki turned around seeing the leave campaigner standing there panting slightly. "Thank you for what you did Miss…" the woman waited for Maki to fill in the blank.

"Nishikino, Maki Nishikino."

"Thank you Maki, some of those men were a bit intimidating. I guess I've always felt more at home around women…" the woman laughed awkwardly flashing a grin that caused Maki to back up a few steps.

"It's not like I did it for you or anything Miss…"

"Sonoda, Umi Sonoda."

"Well, _Miss Sonoda_. It's not like I did it for you! I just want you to not get in my way when I'm campaigning if you wouldn't mind. And we're not close enough to be on first name terms so Nishikino if you please _"_ Maki huffed a little at the end of her tirade.

"Oh, well I guess I'll see you around Mak-I mean Miss Nishikino." Umi sounded a little dejected as she spoke.

"Maybe, but don't count on it." Maki turned and walked away angrily shoving a leaflet into the hands of the first person to pass her by.

* * *

 _Vote Leave and Britain Stronger in Europe have been designated as the official Leave and Remain campaigns in June's EU referendum._

 ** _BBC News 13_ _th_ _April 2016_**

April 2016

 _So now it's official huh?_ The thought ran through Maki's mind as it had done many time over the past few week or so.

She trudged along the road up to the coffee shop where she always had lunch, looking up at the sky nervously, seeing the darkening clouds gathering ahead.

 _There's no way it should be this cold right now should it? I wonder if Sonoda is Ok?_

Maki shook her head furiously at the thought of the blue haired temptress. Over the past few weeks she hadn't moved, and despite Maki's best efforts she wouldn't stop bothering her. It was always 'oh high Mak-I mean Nishikino' or 'how are you doing' every time she walked past her.

What's more it was like she was engaging in psychological warfare, the redhead just couldn't stop thinking about her _It's like she's infiltrating my mind on purpose to throw me off my game_. The redhead gritted her teeth angrily

She might not look or act like it, but Sonoda Umi _had_ to be a temptress or a seductress or something like that, there was no other way Maki would be thinking about her this much otherwise.

But one thing was certain Maki did _not '_ like' Sonoda Umi, I mean how could she like someone prepared to throw everything this nation had achieved in the past few decades out of the window? She didn't, couldn't wouldn't. Despite what Hanayo and Rin thought, or rather insisted was the case, there was no chance in hell of Maki ever liking that woman.

She certainly didn't admire the way her hair shimmered with an almost internal light whatever the weather, or the way that her smile appeared to make the world a little brighter, or the fact that her laughter cut through the noise of London with a clarity that emphasised the loveliness of every single note.

Maki shook her head again trying to dispel those thoughts just before crossing the threshold of the coffee shop. The buzz of conversation echoed around the claustrophobic space, the press of bodies inside was staggering.

Maki shrugged as she waited in line and purchased a cup of herbal tea like she always did. It looked as though many of the people here were either journalists combined with the usual lunch rush. She dimly remembered something about some high ups in both campaigns making speeches here today.

"Guess that explains the people here then." Maki muttered to herself as she paid for the tea and a small roll.

The medical student squeezed through the people gathered with her lunch, spying a lucky empty table Maki sat down stewing in her own thoughts as she nibbled occasionally at her roll staring blankly at the people passing by outside the usual mix of suits and clerks.

 _I haven't actually seen Sonoda today come to think of it._

"Excuse me is this seat taken?" Maki looked up to see Sonoda standing over her, her white leave t-shirt very visible a cup of coffee in her hand.

Maki glared at the blue haired woman warning her off "Technically no…" Maki began shooting daggers into Umi's golden eyes as she started to come up with her excuse to continue her attempts to avoid this woman and her psychological warfare.

Umi pulled out the seat and sat down immediately after Maki's answer. "Good this is the last seat in the house."

"Wait what are you doing?" Maki waved her arms at the girl.

"Sitting down. There is no one sat here right?" Umi looked at the redhead tilting her head slightly at her.

Maki put her head in her hands, sighing in frustration.

Umi giggled at the gesture. "Come on, you can't hate me that much."

"I-I don't hate you Sonoda, I…I guess that you just confuse me. You and your psychological warfare tactics, always inhabiting my head."

"Pardon?"

"Forget what I just said." Maki clammed up a blush dusting her cheeks.

"Okaaay." Umi looked unsure what to think about what Maki had just said; the Leave campaigner looked around for a few seconds trying to break the awkward silence that had developed as Maki tried to bury herself into her chair. "It sure is crowded in here…" Umi ventured.

Maki looked up recognising the attempt to clear the air. "I know what you mean, seriously whoever is here better warrant this many people."

Umi breathed a sigh of relief. "I think it might be Boris, either that or Gove or someone. Who came from your side?"

"From what I recall I think it might only be some local MP, at least they aren't trying to use the issue to further their own political careers though, unlike _some_ people." Maki smirked narrowing her eyes to Umi's reaction as she made the obvious dig at Boris Johnson's political ambitions.

Umi sighed raising the cup to her lips as she leaned back in her chair. "You're right there…Honestly it feels like I'm voting Leave for entirely different reasons than people think." the blue haired girl smiled at the look of surprise on Maki's face at her answer. "What expecting a sterling defence of Boris Johnson were we Maki?"

The redhead rubbed the back of her neck and laughed uneasily as the initial shock wore off. "Yeah kind of, I mean that's what most Brexiters would do…so why did you vote leave then?"

"In all honesty Sovereignty." Umi took a sip from her cup pausing for a few moments as she savoured the taste. "I really hate all the economic arguments all the rubbish they talk about immigration yadah yadah yadah. For me the real issue is the fact that the EU can now annul acts of Parliament passed by representatives that we elected in. I don't think they will use it often, but I just don't like the idea that it's possible. It's why I never touch those immigration pamphlets with a barge pole, we both know its utter nonsense."

"That's true I don't think I've ever seen you use the immigration line when you're out on the streets, unlike your colleagues" Maki poured herself another cup of tea from her teapot as she stared into Umi's face, watching the girl expose the multiple layers that existed to her.

"Really you noticed that? I didn't know you cared so much Maki." Umi smirked as she saw Maki almost choke on her tea. The redhead missing the use of her first name as the conversation flowed

"It's not like I particularly care about you…I…I was just keeping an eye on you that's all, making sure you weren't cheating.

Umi closed her eyes and let her head fall back onto her shoulders "Of course that's the reason. Although you know it's becoming harder to avoid the immigration literature as they push the migrant line more and more." Umi sighed, "Sometimes I worry about the divisions that we both exploit."

"Me too. I really don't like the scaremongering that the Tories trot out at every opportunity…" Maki let the thought hang in the air for a bit

"So why do you vote remain then?"

"I think we have a commitment to Europe and the EU, it's not a perfect institution, but if we take it seriously like the Germans then we could use it to our advantage."

"You think that that unwieldly bureaucracy can change?" Umi scoffed

"It'll take time, but it's no use just running away because something's hard wouldn't you say Umi?" Maki stared into Umi analysing her response, her amethyst orbs scanning her face, like they found themselves doing more and more often.

"That's true we should try at least." Umi sighed once more before grinning at something.

"What?" Maki asked.

"You just called me Umi…" the Leave campaigner's amber eyes danced with delight at Maki's slip of the tongue.

Maki stiffened up averting her gaze from Umi's face, she felt her face start to burn with an intense heat spluttering for an answer. "I…I…Oh would you look at that." Maki looked at her watch in an exaggerated manner. "Looks like my break is over, well see you Umi." The redhead stood quickly as she looked for a way out of the packed café.

Umi smiled once more. "You know Maki, if you _really_ want to avoid me, perhaps we should exchange numbers so we can synchronise our time slots so we don't meet again..." Umi held out her phone for the Remain campaigner to take.

Maki hesitantly took Umi's phone, entering her number into it quickly, as if someone would see her doing it.

"Alternatively we could use this to meet up for lunch again soon; I enjoyed talking to you today." Umi proposed.

Maki mumbles something so softly, that even she couldn't register exactly what she was saying, but it sounded a lot like 'yeah that'd be nice.'

The Redhead gave Umi back her phone and picked up her leaflets before pushing her way through several journalists and a camera-man to get out back onto the streets.

She sent off a quick text to Umi saying 'it's me' so the other girl had her number. Despite telling herself that this was all so she could avoid the other girl, Maki couldn't stop grinning like the Cheshire cat as she looked up at the cloudy sky.

* * *

 _Isolationism has never served this country well. Whenever we turn our back on Europe, sooner or later we come to regret it._

 _We have always had to go back in, and always at a much higher cost._

 _The serried rows of white headstones in lovingly-tended Commonwealth war cemeteries stand as silent testament to the price that this country has paid to help restore peace and order in Europe._

 _Can we be so sure that peace and stability on our continent are assured beyond any shadow of doubt? Is that a risk worth taking?_

 ** _Prime Minister David Cameron's Speech on the EU 9_ _th_ _May 2016_**

 _The history of the last couple of thousand years has been broadly repeated attempts by various people or institutions…to rediscover the lost childhood of Europe…under the Romans by_ _trying to unify it. Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically…The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods."_

 _ **Interview with Boris Johnson MP Leader of 'Vote Leave' campaign in the Daily Telegraph 14**_ ** _th_ _May 2016_**

May 2016

Maki strolled out of the local Remain headquarters, basking in the heat of May, it had been surprisingly warm these past few days, and June looked to be even hotter.

 _Now at the very least I can enjoy it the way I want._ The redhead smiled at the realisation that quitting the Remain campaign was meant that she felt more relieved than she had done in weeks. She didn't have to worry about campaigning or canvassing on the streets anymore.

It wasn't like she didn't support remain anymore, it was just the fact that in the past few weeks the rhetoric had become more and more about fear mongering, Maki just couldn't go out there anymore and peddle that sort of negative language to a public already full of the sort of poison that the politicians were throwing at each other.

After David Cameron had implied that Brexit could lead to a new European war, that was when Maki had decided to call it quits. She closed her eyes smiling as she remembered how she ranted at her local supervisor that that kind of language was "Rubbish." and "bullcrap of the finest quality that no one would ever believe."

Somehow the silver tongued people at HQ had persuaded her to stay for a few weeks and keep campaigning. She agreed somewhat reluctantly but her heart wasn't in it anymore, the smile she used to wear handing out leaflets was long gone, and there was no real reason in Maki's opinion to keep doing this.

Especially since Umi had disappeared a few days after Maki had tried to quit.

The medical student sighed as she walked into her usual coffee shop and bought a bottle of tomato juice. She ambled up the street sitting on some steps near to where she first saw the beautiful Leave campaigner for the first time, when she shooed away all those leering men.

The redhead had actually grown fond of the blue haired leaver. She actually enjoyed meeting her up for lunch every day after a long days campaigning, she enjoyed the endless exchange of texts that flew back and forth between the two.

She loved the fact that she'd gotten to know more about this beautiful intelligent eloquent woman, she cherished every fact she learned, 'information on the enemy' she told herself and her friends. But still she whiled away hours poring over every detail of her life the fact that she was a law student at LSE, the fact that she had three childhood friends whom she was living with, the fact that she was a born archer.

Over time the political differences faded into insignificance, each time they both laughed at 'Have I Got news For You' or derided the latest divisive slogan from leave or remain their campaigns were an excuse to meet up as well as get votes. Maki no longer cared that Umi's 'psychological warfare' had grown in intensity to the point that she was all the redhead could think about.

At the time she still denied liking the girl, despite Hanayo and Rin's insistence that the opposite was true. But in her past few weeks of campaigning Maki hadn't seen that familiar streak of blue in an otherwise grey world, she hadn't heard her laugh or seen her smile. She'd even stopped responding to most of her texts, only the occasional clipped reply appearing.

Umi's absence had become a hole in her life. It just wasn't the same without the muted verbal sparring, without the captivating stories that they told each other about their past, without that moment in the morning when she would see her blue hair from across the street for the first time, that moment when Umi waved and smiled at her and brought infinite amounts of light into her world.

After about a week of the waking torture Maki had finally recognized what her stubbornness refused to let her see for the past few months.

She was in love.

Maki sighed as she raked over her feelings for the tall, blue haired girl. She stared at the concrete in front of her, her hoodie pulled over her face, she didn't know how she'd even begin to think about confessing her feelings let alone actually doing it.

Plus it was hard to confess to a person who'd been conspicuously absent recently.

Maki stood up sighing once more, she been doing a lot of that recently. She swirled around the last few drops of the tomato juice in her bottle before downing the rest in one gulp. She jumped off of the steps onto the pavement looking for a bin.

*CRASH*

Maki felt something hard collide with her as she tumbled to the floor, the redhead slowly opened her eyes rubbing her head while she looked at the inglorious position she was in, sprawled on the pavement.

"I'm sooo sorry about that. Here let me help you up." Maki looked up to see a pair of wide blue eyes staring down at her with a hint of concern. The Girl's ginger hair was tied in a side ponytail and her entire face from her smile to her eyebrows screamed mischief.

The medical student studied the girl incredulously for a second before taking her hand.

"Honoka what do you think you're doing? How many times have I told you! You need to look where you're going." Maki clammed up at the sudden streak of blue that came barrelling around the corner.

"Sorry Umi, but it was urgent, Kotori only just told us that there was a one day sale on at the bakery so we have to hurry." The girl named Honoka ran off down the street nearly crashing into another innocent bystander.

Umi sighed, rolling her eyes at the lively girl's rather skewed priorities in life. Shemoved to leave before glancing at Maki briefly. Umi stopped in her tracks. "Maki…" she whispered.

"Hey Umi." Maki tried to keep the massive grin she had on her face under control, to suppress it, but it was hopeless, she was grinning like a loon in mere seconds of being in the other girl's presence.

"How've you been recently?" the emotions on Umi's face had always been visible to the world, Maki was just glad that the soft expression, and slight smile that Umi was wearing now had appeared when she had looked at her. "Shouldn't you be out campaigning? The vote is only a month away."

"I quit the campaign. I'd been having second thoughts about it since the beginning of this month, when Cameron made his WW3 claim. But they persuaded me to stick around for a few more weeks, I hoped it might get a bit more positive. God was I wrong." Maki rolled her eyes as her annoyance in the increased negativity in politics came to the surface.

Umi laughed at the medical student's animated reactions brushing her har behind her ear as she did so.

"Umiiii! Hurry up!" Honoka came sprinting back to the pair skidding to a halt millimetres from colliding with the both of them, "They're going to be sold out!" The ginger started tugging at Umi's arm trying to drag her away.

Umi's face darkened and Maki could sense the rage building up in the blue haired girl waves of anger emanating across the street so that even passers-by gave her a wide berth. "Honoka, what have I told you about being rude to people?" Umi's quiet and calm tone betrayed an impending sense of danger.

Honoka visibly gulped as she let go of her friend's arm and took a step back. "That I should pay more attention to those around Me." she said meekly.

Umi relaxed now that the boisterous ginger wasn't invading her personal space, "Anyway I suppose I'd better introduce you two. Honoka, this is Maki, Maki this is Honoka." Umi gestured between the two as she spoke.

Honoka sidled up next to Maki, stroking her chin as she examined the redhead up and down. "So this is the famous Nishikino Maki eh? Tell me how does it feel knowing you've stolen our darling Umi's heart away?"

"HONOKA!" Umi screeched as she turned an incredible shade of scarlet "people will misunderstand if you say it like that!"

"But aren't you always going on about how _amazing_ Maki is?"

"W-Well…maybe but-"

"And hasn't the only thing you've talked about for the past two months been 'oooh I bet Maki would like that'. 'Ooooh if only Maki were here.'" Maki giggled at the terrible impression of Umi that Honoka did as she danced around the obviously nervous girl, who by now had gone from scarlet to deep burgundy. "I mean if you don't like here then why have me and Kotori been subjected to 'Maki, Maki Maki for god knows how long?" Honoka continued her assault on Umi's delicate sense of modesty.

"But didn't you say it was two months."

"That's not the point Umi-" Honoka was about to launch into a fresh round of teasing before Umi grabbed something and shoved it in her face.

"Here take my purse and go to the stupid bakery!" Umi's voice was practically screeching as she tried to avoid further embarrassment.

The glint in Honoka's eye suggested that she had achieved the desired effect, the ginger girl snatched the purse out of Umi's hand. "Thanks Umi!" Honoka yelled over her shoulder as she began running down the street once more, before stopping and turning to face the pair. "Oh and before I forget, I found your phone about a week ago, see ya!" the girl ran off once more, disappearing into the throng of people on the street

"Wait Honoka what do you mean?" Maki put her hand on her shoulder as Umi went to go after her before stopping; the medical student gently shook her head telling the girl in front of her it wasn't worth it.

"She seems energetic…" Maki let the thought hang in the air as Umi inhaled deeply slowly returning to her normal colour. "So what about you Umi. Where've you been these past few weeks? It's been lonely without you." Maki flushed red as she murmured the last part.

"Hmmm what?" Umi took a few seconds to reconnect the dots of their previous conversation. "Oh!, right, well I guess me and you are the same, I quit the leave campaign a few weeks back after Boris basically said that Hitler and the EU were the same. Looking at the anti-immigrant rhetoric as well I'm pretty sure I made the right choice too. I would've told you but I lost my phone, sorry" Umi put a comforting hand on Maki's shoulder.

"So that's why you haven't been around or answering my texts lately?" Maki's shimmering purple orbs looked up at Umi full of hope that the blue haired girl hadn't just left her.

"Yeah although as you saw, _someone_ was actually in possession of what I thought was a lost phone the whole time." Umi gestured angrily in the direction which Honoka had run off in.

"Oh I see…" an awkward silence descended over the pair as both girls struggled to come up with new conversation material.

"Well I should probably go…" Umi made to leave once more but was stopped by a tug on her sleeve. The blue haired girl looked down to see Maki clutching at her coat her fringe hiding her face as she stared at the ground, her face flushed red.

"Umi I-I-I…"

 _What am I doing?_ Maki's heart was pounding as she started babbling not wanting to risk being separated from the Girl that she liked…no loved so much for that long again.

"Maki what is it?"

"Don't leave, please. I don't want to be apart from you again."

"Maki what are you talking about? We'll see each other soon." Umi turned to face the red head, who was still staring at the floor, a look of sympathetic confusion on her face.

"No something might happen between now and then! it might sound stupid, it might sound crazy but I get the feeling that if you leave I won't have another chance to say this…" Maki looked up her violet eyes still avoiding Umi's gaze.

Umi went very still, studying every inch of the girl in front of her. Maki was trembling, her eyes were frantically looking anywhere but Umi's face tears pricking the corners of those perfect purple spheres, she was almost the same colour as her hair, and she was shaking like a leaf, even her knees were knocking together. "Say what Maki?" she asked her tone gentle and concerned

"Did you Miss me? Because the last week and a half has been hell, not hearing from you, not seeing you. It made me realise how much you mean to me, even though you've only known me for a few months, I can't imagine life without you, I can't imagine an existence worth living before you came I knew you. I don't know if you felt the same way, I don't care if you think what I'm saying is stupid, or that you might not feel like I do, you might not even like girls. But right now I'm sure of one thing and one thing only…."

 _This is a one in a million chance that this is going to work out._ Maki's doubts circled her mind as she

Maki looked up her piercing stare penetrating the depths of Umi's soul, she saw the girl in front of her smiling, grinning like her life depended on it. Her eyes were watering, heavy with tears, yet there was not a trace of sadness on her face, Umi was the same colour she had been before a deep burgundy as every drop of blood rushed to her face.

"Umi Sonoda…I love you." Maki closed her eyes and breathed waiting for the rejection that she expected. Instead she was embraced by warmth on all sides as Umi hugged her for dear life. The space that existed between them was gone completely, Maki's blush intensified as she felt the soft, comforting warmth of the blue haired girl envelope her.

"It was hell for me too." Umi whispered into the redhead's ear. "I felt exactly the same as you do, word for word. Maki I love you too."

Maki took Umi's face in her hands staring at the blue haired girl who had managed to make Maki fall for her . She caressed Umi's cheek as Umi placed her hand on top, smoothing over Maki's knuckles as she nuzzled her way into her lover's hand.

The redhead grinned once more before closing the remaining distance that existed between them, pressing her lips to Umi's.

The Kiss was soft, yet it sparkled as Umi stiffened up for a moment before she quickly began kissing the redhead back. It was like a thousand warm fires in the cold depths of hell were burning inside of Maki, a thousand guns thundering unison drowning out every sensation except those related to the girl in front of her. The feel of Umi's lips on her own, the indulgent feel of Umi's flesh and her hair in her hands as Maki's hands roamed through her hair and cupped Umi's cheek, it was all nothing like Maki had ever experienced before, it was like her first kiss all over again.

The kiss felt like it lasted for an eternity, yet Maki still felt disappointed when they both broke away to breathe, their faces flushed, their breath mingling in the gap between their mouths.

"Hey Umi?"

"What?"

"You free tonight?"

"Pick me up at eight."

 _God she can read me like a book._ Maki grinned once more as she held Umi, vowing never to let her go, come hell or high water, referendum or no.

* * *

 _I held nothing back. I was absolutely clear about my belief that Britain is stronger, safer and better off inside the European Union and I made clear the referendum was about this and this alone - not the future of any single politician including myself._

 _But the British people have made a very clear decision to take a different path and as such I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction._

 _I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months but I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination._

 ** _David Cameron's resignation speech June 24th 2016_**

 _So Big Ben has struck ten o'clock, and we can now start trying to discover which side thinks it's won the day._

 ** _David Dimbleby on the closing of the Polls in the EU Referendum._**

June 23rd, 2016

Maki pressed herself closer into her girlfriend's arms, bringing her feet closer to her chest as hey both huddled in one corner of Umi's sofa.

They both yawned sleepily, it was nearly Five in the morning, and despite their dislike of both campaigns and the fact that although they had both voted they wouldn't discuss it, they had still decided to stay up together to see out the referendum.

The television cast and eerie glow across the quiet living room as presenters and politicians discussed possible results and their ramifications, people on both sides adamant that they were going to win. Although at this point leave had been ahead for a bit, and as the BBC loved reminding them the Sunderland result and Newcastle's only narrow Remain win meant it was a bad night to be a remainer.

A few months ago Maki would've been fuming at the TV, cursing the idiocy of the British electorate, vowing revenge and that a Brexit wasn't the endas the crushing sense of inevitability hit her. No doubt she wouldn't have been alone in doing so.

Now however as Maki watched the blackness of night turn into a royal blue that heralded the dawn of a new day, and a new world, she hummed contentedly enjoying the warmth of her girlfriend's body savouring the warmth of her hands, of her chest.

 _David Cameron must be sweating as much as the Markets are at this point._ The thought of the World economy tanking all because of little old Britain made Maki smile; it showed the immense hubris of bankers and money men who tried to make a quick buck off of the result. It was an odd sense of Schadenfreude because the redheaded medical student knew that all the news coming in was terrible, but she smiled all the same.

"Umi am I a bad person?" she asked quietly.

Umi tightened her grip on her girlfriend, not sure what to say at this point. "Ummm is this a trick question?"

"I mean all this news is coming in about the economy and political careers on the verge of being ruined, yet all I can think of is how funny it all is."

Umi smiled at Maki's admission, "That doesn't make you a bad person Maki, it just means you have a twisted sense of humour." Umi chuckled. "I guarantee you aren't a bad person, because a bad person would never be able to steal my heart so completely." Maki pulled herself up onto her knees and turned to face Umi's amber eyes gazing at them intently, Mischief written on her face.

"How can you be sure that I didn't just set out to steal it and then crush it at some point in the future, _because_ I'm a bad person."

"I can't but I have faith in you." Umi ran her hands over Maki' knuckles kissing them softly as her Amber met Maki's purple.

"Good to know one person does." The redhead returned to her sitting position burrowing her way into Umi's body, nuzzling every part of it as she did so.

"Exams are over Maki, you can't keep worrying about the results, it's all done."

"That's what you should tell them." Maki pointed at the TV where some poor politician was being grilled by David Dimbleby.

"It's not going particularly well for them is it? All those protest votes up north." Umi rested her head on top of Maki's red locks inhaling the captivating strawberry scent of her lover's hair, as the coverage stopped for a small news break.

"Why would you protest vote on something like a referendum?" Maki ranted at the television, "I mean if you don't like the Tories or Labour why not show that last year at the bloody general election!" Maki felt her annoyance at half of the reasons the Leave campaign had pushed rise to the surface again.

"Shhhh, remember the person you're using as a snuggle pillow voted leave Maki." The soothing voice of her blue haired girlfriend cooled Maki's temper slightly

"I'm just saying, there are better times for it is all." Maki mumbled meekly.

"I know I know, I don't think it's the best situation to do it in either it's not like a by-election, but still, we can't stop them now can we."

"Shhh Shhhh Shhh" Maki waved her hands clumsily pressing her finger to Umi's lips as the News stopped and they went back to the coverage showing a rather tired looking David Dimbleby reading something off screen

" _Well at Twenty minutes to Five. We can now say that the decision taken in 1975 by this country to join the common market has been reversed by this referendum to leave the EU. We are absolutely clear now that there is now way that the remain side can win."_

"Look at that Umi your side won." Umi scoffed at Maki's little dig at her former allegiance to the leave side.

"No, Leave didn't win. Nor did remain. Both sides lost. Both resorted to scare tactics and fear mongering. Leave won on the back of demonising institutions and tearing apart communities with their anti-immigration rhetoric."

Maki nodded below in agreement, "If remain had won they'd have done it by scaring people and painting ever brexiter as a racist or an idiot willing to start WW3."

"True, but now politics is going to be broken, you just watch by Monday we'll probably have lost at least Cameron if not Jeremy Corbyn as well and the Scots'll be on the verge of leaving again, if not chomping at the bit for a second independence referendum. Whoever does come to the fore after the inevitable months of infighting will have to put back together a country that both campaigns broke apart."

"We've never been this divided since the civil war, have we? What was it that David Cameron said about Trump last year? That he was Stupid Divisive and Wrong."

"Yeah something like that." Umi answered nonchalantly.

"Same could be said about the EU Campaigns!" Both girls laughed as they spoke in unison. Maki giggling for a good minute before Umi managed to calm her down.

"So out of this whole thing there are no winners then." Maki said breathlessly as she dealt with the aftereffects of her laughing fit.

"No not exactly, I defenietly won." Umi's matter of a fact response surprised Maki.

"What do you mean by that, I thought you weren't gloating!"

"I won though, because thanks to this whole farce of a referendum I got to meet you." Umi grinned as she brought Maki's lips to her own, both girls losing themselves in the pleasure of each other as the kissed relentlessly.

As the dawn broke on a new broken UK, the two girls from both sides of the campaign, from opposite camps held onto each other, delighting in each other's mere existence, the world of high politics miles away. And as Maki looked into Umi's eyes as she ran her hands through her midnight blue hair, she kissed her once more, as they smiled into each other's lips they both knew that regardless of the fate that awaited the UK, they would always be together.

* * *

 **A/N: So I hope you all enjoyed this little romp through what has been my world for the past few months, just endless news about the referendum and Trump and the impending populist tide that always spells out great things for the world, and never ever ever ends in war at all. Ever!**

 **Personally as someone who voted remain I was disappointed and a little bitter to say the least about the referendum result, my weekend was mostly spent crafting plots to keep Britain in the EU e-mailing my local MP and Jean Claude Juncker to try and get them to do something.**

 **Obviously this was all pointless, and the Nation will do as it pleases as will the politicians and the Markets**

 **So as I write with Labour in meltdown and the Conservatives in a catatonic state of panic as it looks like those who wanted Brexit, don't actually want it. A** **s I look across the pond at the mad circus that is the 2016 US presidential election, I think we can all take comfort in one thing...**

 **And that ladies and gentlemen is Yuri fanfiction!**


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